The Power of Resilience and Adaptability

Two abilities that have greatly influenced my career and personal path are resilience and adaptability. When I think back on my life, I can think of many instances where the capacity to overcome hardship and adjust to new surroundings was essential.

I wasn't always tenacious or flexible. Every time life presented me with unforeseen difficulties as a youngster or young adult, I would feel extremely uneasy. I used to fight change, which made me angry and occasionally immobilised by my dread of the unknown. I can recall a significant setback I experienced once: an endeavour I had put my all into failed because of unanticipated events. It took a long time for me to recover because I allowed my self-doubt to take over instead of pushing forward and changing my strategy.

As I became older, I understood that resilience is a skill that must be developed. I started to see challenges as chances to get stronger rather than as barriers. "Resilience enables us to withstand setbacks and failures and learn from them, turning potential breakdowns into breakthroughs," according to the growth path framework. This viewpoint altered the way I dealt with change and how I addressed adversity.

I discovered that my resilience also increased my capacity for adaptation. Adaptability is crucial for success in our ever changing environment, and during my personal development, the two traits got entwined. I developed these abilities by making tiny but significant progress:

Challenge rephrasing: I began asking myself, "What can I learn from this?" rather than, "What went wrong?" I became more growth-oriented after realising my shortcomings as a teacher.
Mindfulness: I become more adaptable and receptive to the changes around me by focussing on the here and now. I learnt from mindfulness that change is inevitable and that it's critical to be prepared to accept it.
Creating a network of support: It made all the difference to be surrounded by people who supported me and reminded me of my abilities. Their viewpoints strengthened me when mine faltered.
These days, two of my main pillars are resilience and adaptability, which enable me to go through life more confidently and easily. I continue to face challenging circumstances, but I have faith in my ability to handle them. 

Questions for Discussion:

1. What life events have influenced your ability to bounce back?

2. What coping mechanisms have you established for dealing with setbacks?

3. Do you have trouble adjusting to abrupt changes? If yes, what actions do you believe you can do to improve your flexibility?